Man’s ‘message’ of gunfire triggers multiple charges

ELYRIA — A man who allegedly fired a gun into his backyard on Friday told police that he was just “trying to send a message.”

William J. Wendell, 58, was charged with inducing panic, using weapons while intoxicated, and discharging a firearm at his house on the 9200 block of Murray Ridge Road around 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

A neighbor who was standing in her kitchen when the shots were fired told police that she watched Wendell walk into his yard with a “pump action rifle” around 6 p.m. Wendell fired the rifle three times and yelled, “F— with me now,” according to the police report.

When police arrived at the scene they found Wendell sitting on a couch in his garage and said he appeared to be drunk, according to police.

Wendell told police that his house had been broken into earlier in the week. He said he had “a few beers” and fired the shotgun because he was trying to “send a message” to whomever had broken into his house, according to the report.

Wendell was taken to Lorain County Jail where he is being held without bond. His court appearance is scheduled for9 a.m. Monday at Elyria Municipal Court.